With the release of Monster Hunter Wilds, I’ve spent a lot of time trying out all the weapons, from the Day One launch to the latest Title Update 1. As such, I put together this ultimate Monster Hunter Wilds Weapon Tier List to help both beginner and veteran players decide which weapon to use.
All MH Wilds weapons, ranked
For this Monster Hunter Wild Weapon Tier, I have listed out the pros and cons of each tool, along with whether it’s beginner-friendly or reserved for veteran players. We’ll also dive into what makes each tool especially valuable in Title Update 1 and how they contribute to the current meta. Here is my ultimate Monster Hunter Wilds weapon tier list:
S Tier
Insect Glaive
- Pros: Swift mobility, excellent damage rates, and Kinsects
- Con: Doesn’t offer as many defensive tactics as the others
- Guard Accessibility: No
- Best For: Beginners and veterans
Since Monster Hunter Wilds launched, the Insect Glaive has held a solid spot in the meta—and it continues to shine in Title Update 1. It’s a flexible weapon that works well for both beginners and veteran hunters, offering fast, fluid movement and dynamic aerial combat. While it lacks a guard option, its quick evasion makes it easy to stay mobile and avoid incoming damage.
One of the Insect Glaive’s biggest strengths is its Kinsect companion. Kinsects don’t just gather extracts that provide valuable buffs to your speed, attack, and stamina—they can also apply debuffs to monsters, giving you an edge by weakening your target mid-fight.
Great Sword
- Pro: High DPS rates
- Con: Slow in movement
- Guard Accessibility: Yes
- Best for: Veterans
The Great Sword delivers some of the highest DPS rates in Monster Hunter Wilds, often landing massive damage with just a single, well-placed swing. Even tough monsters like the High-Rank Zoh Shia can fall quickly with just a few solid combos.
However, its slow, deliberate movements make it better suited for veteran players who are already comfortable with its weighty playstyle. While it may not shine in terms of mobility, innovative use of evasion and guard still gives you the tools to stay in the fight.
Bow
- Pros: Excels in mid to long-range distance attacks, precision targeting, and versatile attacks
- Cons: Always requires you to keep your distance from the enemy, making you vulnerable during close-range combat
- Guard Accessibility: No
- Best for: Beginners
The Bow presents a more approachable playstyle for newcomers, giving you the freedom to keep monsters at bay through its Quick Shot, Dragon Piercer, and Charging Sidestep attacks. Dragon Piercer is definitely my personal favorite—it fires a fiery shot that hits hard, but you’ll need to charge it to maximize its power.
The one downside to the Bow is that you’re constantly forced to stay far away from the monsters. Since many of these beasts tend to charge straight at you, maintaining that space can be a challenge. Thankfully, the Bow ranks high for mobility, so dodging should come in clutch. Still, teaming up with others in multiplayer can be helpful, especially if you have teammates wielding close-range weapons.
Long Sword
- Pros: Swift movements and high-damaging strikes
- Con: A little less DPS than the others in S Tier
- Guard Accessibility: No
- Best for: Veterans
If you’re a fan of combos, you know just how strong the Long Sword can be. Learning to master the Spirit Gauge to empower your well-orchestrated combo attacks gives the Long Sword one of the highest skill potential weapons in all of Monster Hunter Wilds.
Though the Long Sword has slightly lower DPS than the Great Sword, its lightning-fast agility makes up for it. So, if the Great Sword feels a bit too slow for your taste, the Long Sword is the perfect, swift alternative to keep you in the action.
Sword and Shield
- Pro: The most well-balanced weapon that caters to offense and defense
- Con: Doesn’t really have counterattacks
- Guard Accessibility: Yes
- Best for: Beginners and veterans
Until you’ve fully grasped the mechanics of Monster Hunter Wilds, the Sword and Shield option allows newer players to easily block and attack monsters with your shield, reducing the overall damage you’re going to take while you learn things. It’s an excellent option for getting a grasp of the game while ensuring you stay alive.
The Sword and Shield is one of the most reliable weapons, capable of handling almost any situation with ease. Thanks to its impressive mobility, solid defensive guard, and devastating attacks, it’s a true all-rounder. The only thing it’s missing is a counterstrike, which most of the other weapons on this list boast. But honestly, with everything else it brings to the table, that small gap hardly matters.
A Tier
Gunlance
- Pros: Thrives in long-reaching attacks and guarding techniques
- Con: Slow mobility
- Guard Accessibility: Yes
- Best for: Veterans
The Gunlance is basically the Sword and Shield on steroids, with a massive gunblade and shield instead of a smaller regular sword and shield. While it may seem poised to surpass the Sword and Shield, its low mobility keeps it firmly in the A tier rather than the S. However, it does come with a unique edge: the ability to charge its shell, transforming it into a gun-like build.
Those who take the time to master the inner workings of the Gunlance will find it to be the best overall tankier-oriented weapon, allowing experienced players to play the role of tank while still dealing massive damage with powerful and hard-hitting explosive shells.
Switch Axe
- Pro: Axe Mode harnesses a long reach, while Sword Mode triggers fast attacks
- Con: It can get tedious with the same combos
- Guard Accessibility: No
- Best for: Veterans
The Switch Axe is a deadly weapon for experienced hunters who can smoothly transition between Axe Mode and Sword Mode, chaining together wide-reaching swings and quick, relentless strikes. When mastered, it ranks among the highest damage-dealing weapons in Monster Hunter Wilds.
I will say, though, that there aren’t many opportunities for combos, even with the dual modes. As a result, longer battles can start to feel even more drawn out. Even so, it’s a strong pick when it comes to dishing out damage.
Charge Blade
- Pro: Axe Mode can be devasting
- Con: Fairly challenging mechanics
- Guard Accessibility: Yes
- Best for: Veterans
Like the Switch Axe, the Charge Blade features two modes: Sword and Axe. Although they might seem similar at first glance, their playstyles differ quite a bit upon closer inspection. Sword Mode provides exceptional guarding options along with higher mobility, making it great for staying active on the defense. Axe Mode delivers crushing, high-impact attacks that really let you feel the weight behind every swing.
The challenge with the Charge Blade lies in its layered mechanics. To unlock its full potential, you need to charge phials by building up Sword Energy, then switch to Axe Mode to unleash that stored power in explosive bursts. It’s a demanding weapon to learn, particularly for newcomers, so it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with it first.
Dual Blades
- Pro: Best in mobility
- Con: Less damage rates than the others
- Guard Accessibility: No
- Best for: Beginners and veterans
The Dual Blades are easy to spam rapid attacks on monsters, even for a beginner. It’s one of my all-time favorite weapons in the game, where mobility is at its peak. It’s an incredibly unique weapon that doesn’t rely on guarding due to its quick and agile evasive moves. Just be sure to keep an eye on your stamina—run out at the wrong moment, and you’ll be wide open for a punishing hit.
If you deal enough attacks, you can enter Demon Mode, a state that temporarily ups its power. Once you’ve got this down, the Dual Blades become a much stronger option in Monster Hunter Wilds.
Heavy Bowgun
- Pros: Great for long-distance and precision attacks
- Con: Low mobility
- Guard Accessibility: Yes
- Best for: Veterans
For players who want to be immobile while launching powerful ranged attacks at monsters, the Heavy Bowgun is for you. If the Light Bowgun is a machine gun, the Heavy Bowgun is an artillery cannon. However, the lack of mobility can hold back a newcomer’s performance, although blocking is still an option to defend yourself.
Despite its reliance on stationary attacks, I’ve found the Heavy Bowgun to be one of the best secondary weapons. There are countless moments when I need long-range firepower, and that’s where this weapon really stands out, providing invaluable support when it counts the most.
B Tier
Hunting Horn
- Pro: Great for the support role
- Cons: Adequate damage rates and complicated mechanics
- Guard Accessibility: No
- Best for: Veterans
Essentially a robust blunt hammer that also lets the player give themselves and other nearby allies buffs, the Hunting Horn can be extremely versatile when in the hands of a skilled player. It may not top the charts for sheer damage, but the Hunting Horn’s Echo Bubbles can improve your combat tactics. Drop some of these bubbles on the field to increase damage rates within its radius.
If you’re new to Monster Hunter Wilds—or the series as a whole—do yourself a favor and take the Hunting Horn for a spin at the Training Grounds first. Its mechanics can be a bit tricky to master, requiring you to hit the right musical notes in sequence to pull off a proper performance. And just when you think you’ve got the rhythm down, it throws in a Special Performance with a particular button input, which can be tough to nail when monsters are breathing down your neck.
Light Bowgun
- Pros: Fast mobility and heavy-hitting mid-range attacks
- Cons: Not as powerful as the Heavy Bowgun
- Guard Accessibility: No
- Best for: Beginners and veterans
For beginner players, the Light Bowgun is a fantastic option as it allows you to basically continuously fire at monsters with a machine gun-like weapon. Until you learn the game, keeping monsters at range is a huge advantage, and being able to consistently upkeep damage while moving around is a massive boon to newer players.
Compared to the Heavy Bowgun, the Light Bowgun does fall behind in overall damage—a difference that aligns with their namesakes. Of course, it all comes down to playstyle; the Light Bowgun’s speed and mobility might make it the ideal pick for those who favor agility over firepower.
C Tier
Lance
- Pro: Best for defense
- Cons: Low mobility and damage rates
- Guard Accessibility: Yes
- Best For: Veterans
Since the Lance prioritizes defense, its offensive capabilities leave much to be desired, which is why it finds itself at the bottom of this Monster Hunter Wilds tier list. Monsters just won’t go down quickly with this weapon, leaving you to depend heavily on your teammates. The lack of mobility doesn’t help either, making it all too easy for enemies to land a hit.
On the other hand, if you’re the type who values defense above all else, the Lance still has its place. Its attacks are swift, and its counterattacks can pack a punch when timed right.
Hammer
- Pros: Powerful attacks
- Con: Lacks in adaptability
- Guard Accessibility: No
- Best For: Beginners and veterans
Bonk! That really sums up the Hammer for beginner players. If you want to be able to power up attacks to bonk monsters in the head and potentially stun them, the Hammer is for you. It can be relatively slow but also hard-hitting, so if that sounds like your playstyle, give the Hammer a try.
I know this may seem a bit harsh, and for the most part, the Hammer probably belongs more in B Tier for both beginner and veteran players, but in Monster Hunter Wilds, it really feels as though Hammer users should just be using the Hunting Horn instead. Sure, they’re both blunt-type weapons, but when it comes to utility, the Hunting Horn truly outshines the Hammer with its unmatched support capabilities, something the Hammer just can’t compete with.
As you can see, most weapons are simply better when in the hands of a more skilled player. This means that you should try all the weapons and see which one you like the most; after all, they all have vastly different playstyles. Once you find one you like, keep playing it until you master it, and it will be able to hold its own against any other weapon regardless of its placement on this tier list! For more help on builds, check out our best weapon tree list.
